Over 140,000 people cast ballots on first day of early voting in Michigan
(CBS DETROIT) - Over 140,000 voters in Michigan cast their ballots Saturday, the first day of early voting.
According to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, the 145,134 ballots exceeded the expectations of state and local election officials.
At least 12 early voting sites had more than 1,000 voters.
"I'm thrilled to see so many enthusiastic Michigan citizens turning out all across the state in record numbers to make their voices heard," Secretary Benson said in a statement.
Early voting is the newest voting option in Michigan. In 2022, voters approved a constitutional amendment that gives Michigan residents the right to vote in person at early voting sites.
According to the state's voting dashboard, over 1.4 million voters in Michigan have returned absentee ballots.
Learn more about early voting here.